North Omaha is considered a food desert. A food desert is defined by the USDA as: over 59% of the community suffers from low access to fresh and healthy foods. This is due to economic challenges, lack of transportation to groceries and the absence of groceries in the community. The Omaha Economic Development Corporation (OEDC) through the Fair Deal Village MarketPlace is addressing this need with a Farmers Market. The Farmers Market takes place every Friday until September 9, 2016, from 4:00PM-7:00PM. The market takes place in the OEDC parking lot, 2221 North 24 Street, Omaha.

The Farmers Market is providing fresh foods with a variety of high-quality fruits and vegetables supplied through local growers as vendors. A lack of healthy foods according to the Food Research and Action Center leads to:

Cycles of food deprivation and overeating

High levels of stress, anxiety, and depression

Greater exposure to marketing of obesity-promoting products

The Farmers Market is an introduction to fresh fruits and vegetables in the food desert of North Omaha. This fall we will open a fresh produce market, that will be a part of the Fair Deal Village MarketPlace that will open in the fall at 2118 North 24 Street.

While at the Farmers Market yes you can buy Fresh produce, but we also have recipe cards that are given by the vendors that give ideas for the produce that they have. Cucumber Lemon popsicles, Honey Lemonade, Rhubarb Syrup are a few of the recipes available.

Add ALL ingredients to a high-speed blender and blitz until smooth. Pour into Popscicle molds freeze until firm. Eat and enjoy.

The Farmers Market also has plants, handmade jewelry, jams and jellies, food trucks, sugar scrubs and more. In the coming months we will celebrate food with cooking demonstrations; pie and cobbler contest (July); Bubble fun—blowing bubbles with our own bubble recipe, that will be distributed and market fun and music.

The Farmers Market is made possible in part by a grant from the Administration for children and Families – Community Economic Development HealthyFood Financing Initiative Project. We would like to thank our media sponsor KETV.

For more information contact Terri Sanders, Site Manager,mailto:tsanders@oedc.infoor 402-504-1842. Follow OEDC on Social Media: